Counter-fixture



M. CARVER.

COUNTER FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR'. 6. |920.

1,367,859.. Patented Feb. 8,1921.

l' n ,1u flank his UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM CARVER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.'

COUNTER-FIXTURE.

Appneanon flied April e,

To all rtf/icm it may concern:

Be it known that l, MALCOLM Camina, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of .Suffolk and State of lrlassachusetts, have invented new and useful improvements in Counter-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

r"his inv ntion relates to an improvement in counter fixtures.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved counter fixture adapted to support and conceal the adjacent ends of plates of glass used in the construction of glass show cases.

It is also an object of the invention to so construct the device that it may be utilized not only as a support for the top and front of show case but also as a support for a partition for the end of said show case without alteringr the construction of the casting forming' the main portion thereof and without detractinp,` from the appearance of the show case bv so doing'. I

ThD invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts whereby the above objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing may be attained as described in the following' specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

'Figure 1 is a front elevation of a show case, my improved counter fixture being embodiedv therein;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the show case as taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section similar to Fig. 4 taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of one of the clamp plates illustrating the means by which it is attached to a bracket.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1() represents a counter of any ordinary construction upon a top surface 11 of which is supported a show case 12 which may be constructed in one or more sections as desired. Each section of the show case 12 preferably consists of a top shelf member 13, a front panel 14 and a plurality of transversely extending walls 15 which constitute ends for said show case, if the said case comprises only one section or Specification of Letters Patent.

1920. Serial NO. 371,666.

in the event that said show case is composed of a plurality of sections, the said walls 15 may constitute partitions to separate the various sections. The shelf 13,A panel 14 and walls 15 are all preferably constructed of glass and are all held in position by being secured to brackets 16 which are in turn secured to the top 11 of the counter 10.

4 Each bracket 16 consists of a vertical member 17 with a horizontal member 18 formed integral therewith. The front glass panels 14 are secured to a front face 19y of the vertical member 17 of the bracket 16 by a clamp plate 20 which simultaneously secures the adjacent ends of each of said panels 14 to the bracket 16. The adjacent edges of each panel 14 are separated by a strip 21 of suitable material, preferably wood, which is also secured to the front face 19 of the bracket 16. rThe said strip 21 and clamp plate 20 are all held in position simultaneously by screws 22 which pass through slots 23 in the clamp plate 20, thence through the separating strip 21 and into the vertical member 17 of the bracket 16. he slots 23 are each provided with an enlarged portion 24 of slightly greater diameter than the heads of the screws 22, thereby enabling said clamp plate to be removed if, for any reason, it is desired to remove the panels 14 without it beim! necessary to entirely remove the screws 22. By forming the slots 23 in this manner. it is only necessary to loosen the screws 22 slightly and then push the clamp plate 2O upwardly until vthe enlarged portions 24 of the slots 23 aline with. the heads of the screws 22, whereupon said. clamp plate 20 maybe removed.

The glass shelves 13 are secured tol an upper face 26 of the horizontal member 18 of the bracket 16 by a clamp plate 27 which simultaneously secures the adjacent ends of each of said shelves 13 to the bracket 16. The adjacent edges of each shelf 13 are separated by a strip 28 of suitable material, preferably wood, which is secured to the upper face 26 Aof the bracket 16'and alines with the separating strip 21 previously described. The separating' strip 28 and clamp plate 27 are each held in position simultaneously by screws 29 which pass through slots 30 provided in the clamp plate 27 and thence through the separating' strip 28 and into the horizontal member 18 of the bracket 16. The slots 3() are also provided with enlarged portions 31 in order that the clamp plate 27 may be attached and removed in a manner similar to the clamp plate 2O previously described. lf so desired, strips of telt 25 or other suitable packing may be inserted and caused to adhere to the various surfaces against which the glass shelves 13 and panels 14 come in contact. Y

The rear face of the vertical member 17 is provided with a centrally disposed vertical groove 32 while the under tace of the horizontal member 18 is also provided with a centrallydisposed horizontal groove 33 which intersects the groove 32 and coperates therewith to receive and support the wall 15. The wall 15 is prevented from moving rearwardly by a downwardly projeiting extension 34E of the clamp plate 2'? an extremity 35 of which engages an inclined upper edge 36 and also the opposite sides of said wall when said clamp plate 27 is clamped in pesitionthereby preventing any rearward displacement of said wall 15. Where the wall 15 constitutes the end ot' a show case, a suitable end strip 3T is utilized as illustrated in Fig. 5 in place of a separating strip 21, the said end strip 87 being attached te the bracket 16 in a manner similar' to the separating strip 21,' while another end strip 38, Fig. 1, similar to the end strip 37 is attached to the horizontal member 18 in place of the separating strip 28 previously described.

rfhe device herein described provides an extremely simple, neat and practical counter fixture capable of being utilized to firmly support and hold in position not only the shelves and liront panels of open glass show cases, but also tne partitions and ends thereof. Vhen it is desired to remove the glass shelves 13 or the glass panels 1a, the same may be accomplished by simply looseningY the various screws by which the clamp plates -are attached and then sliding said clamp plates slightly beneath the heads ci' said screws until the enlarged portion of the various slots aline with said heads, whereupon said clamp plates may be lifted away from the brackets. It is evident that material Lacasse other than glass may be utilized in the construction oi' the shelves 13, `panels 14 and wall 15 if'so desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim'and desire by Letters Patentto secure is:

1. In combination, a bracket adapted to support a transverse wall, separating strips attached to the 'front and upper Jfaces of said bracket, a clamp plate adapted to clamp the adjafent ends of panels to the liront face of lsaid bracket upon opposite sides of one ot said separating strips, and a second clamp plate adapted to clamp the adjacent ends of shelves to the upper Jface of said bracket upon opposite sides ot the other of Vsaid separating strips and' also prevent a rearward movement of said wall from said bracket.

2. ln combination, a bracket adapted to support a transverse wall, pair of separat ing strips, means provided with head portions adapted to attach said separating strips to the front and upper faces o t said bracket, a clamp plate adapted to clamp the adjacent ends oi glass panels to the front tace of said bracket upon opposite sides of one of .said separating strips, and a second clamp plate adapted to clamp the adjacent ends of'vglass shelves to the upper tace of said bracket upon opposite sides of the other ot said separating strips and also secure said wall against a rea ward movement, each of said clamp plates being provided with slots having an enlarged portion through which the head portion oi said separating strip' attaching means may be inserted whereupon said clamp plates may be slid longitudinally into position and be secured beneath said head portions.

in testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence et two subscribing witnesses.

MALCOLM CARVER. 

